Ofcom Complaints Surge Over Dangerous Machete Stunt

has been hit by a wave of complaints as viewers hit out against a machete stunt they dubbed 'too dangerous for TV' on Saturday. 

Fans of the programme, which returned to screens in February and has been airing episodes from its lengthy audition process, took to the broadcasting regulator to express their concern over the decision to air the knife trick. 

Fakir Testa took to the stage in a death-defying audition earlier this month, which saw him suspended in the air with a long machete around his neck. 

Fakir, 45, demonstrated his strength as he held himself up using the machete, while also pulling a car across the stage using the same knife chained across his neck. 

Elsewhere in the dangerous act, which fans took to social media to complain made them feel 'sick', he used machetes as steps on a ladder he climbed while barefoot. 

The audience were shown covering their faces and letting out shouts of concern as the stunt man continued his performance. 

Elsewhere, judges Simon Cowell and Alesha Dixon were left unable to watch the stunts, and pressed their red buzzers as Fakir continued his display. 

Viewers watching on were met with a number of 'do not try this at home' warning messages throughout the two-minute long performance. 

Ofcom revealed they received a number of complaints from viewers after the act was broadcast on the Saturday night show - with 151 viewers reaching out. 

An Ofcom spokesperson told The Sun of the complaints: 'The majority of complaints related to Fakir Testa’s audition.'

As the audition played out on screen, dozens of viewers took to X, formerly Twitter, to complain about the use of the machetes, hitting out it was 'f***ing lunacy'.

One penned: 'F***s sake. This is on pre watershed. Do better ITV,' as another chimed in: 'This is NOT talent! This is f***** lunacy.'

Another simply said they felt 'sick' watching the stunts, as a fourth added: 'I can’t watch! Why are they showing this for family entertainment?' 

It's not the first time a BGT act has been dished out Ofcom complaints, as earlier this month the ITV show received more than 100  complaints following a stomach-churning act which left a man bleeding on stage.

Viewers fumed 'Why on Earth would they broadcast that?' as Leroy Patterson, 42, shocked everyone in the audience and at home with his unusual act.

As well as sharing their discomfort online, a total of 108 complaints were submitted to the broadcasting watchdog. 

As he moved to the front of the stage, Leroy, from , quickly took off his t-shirt and jeans off live on stage sparking confusion in the auditorium.

He then revealed he would be sharing, and demonstrating, his three most important safety tips - the first of which saw him suddenly launch his bare stomach onto a bed of mousetraps.

For his next 'tip', Leroy sat directly on a chair covered in a pile of strips studded with hundreds of sharp, angled nails.

And finally, Leroy turned on a weed strimmer - a garden power tool used for cutting plants at speed - before running straight through them and sustaining multiple cuts to his body.

'Tonight, I will be doing three very important safety tips, okay?' Leroy began, before introducing his first 'tip'.

He said: 'Lesson number one, if you find yourself in front of a pile of mouse traps, do not do this.'

Leroy then positioned himself behind a pile of mouse traps before launching himself forward and down on top of them, with several attaching themselves to his stomach.

For his next act, Leroy said: 'Tip number two, if you find yourself next to a chair filled with carpet tax strips - never do this.'

Leroy then proceeded to sit down on the chair covered in the strips, featuring hundreds of tiny needles, as the audience gasped in horror.

And finally, for Leroy's final 'tip', he said: 'If you find yourself in front of a tunnel of weed strimmers, do not turn them on.'

He then switched on the weed strimmers and demonstrated how they destroy flowers - before running at force from the other side of the stage straight through them.

As Leroy walked back to the front of the stage he had sustained many cuts and scratches and still had a mouse trap hanging off him.

When KSI asked 'what do we call that?', Leroy was quick to laugh and say: 'Stupidity.'

'I wanted something that's going to make me squirm, something dangerous - and Leroy came and answered,' said KSI.

As both Alesha and Stacey had said no, KSI got the audience involved in a chant to keep him and her eventually got 3 yeses, making it through.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, horrified viewers wrote: 'I bet OFCOM will hear about this,'; 'He’s bleeding what the hell he took this too far definitely not a talent,';

'Mousetraps... you nutter,'; 'GET HIM OFF!!!!!!'; 'I don't need to throw my dinner back up thank you,'; 'Why in God green earth would they even broadcast that?!?!?!';

'Ok on late night tv. But not for me granny or grandchildren's viewing on prime time Saturday night tv,'; 'So hows that a talent? Pure stupidity,';

'Don't try this at home! Really surprised they showed this, just stupidity!!!'

Britain's Got Talent airs Saturdays at 7pm on ITV1 and ITVX.